National Republican., 1887-03-07
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each ole as carefully examined as to change
81 heart, and evidence of regeneration as
h%sei or herself e Many Of os our RIO former mem
heIs have passed away into the skies, and have
Joined the church triumphant. but we have
LOCO ond more ore left for f., the church M, militant;
reserve corps among them. Go into action
all Of, you. Some will be officers and com.
mnnd Some will make cavalry charge Some
win be sharpshooters. Come will stand guard.
Some will be on picket duty. Many of you
win belong to the rank and file. Let there be
ro stIagglers, none off on furlough, not one
deserter. With Christ for commander in.chief,
and the one-starred, blood striped banner of
manger and cross to lead the way, give the
order that the general in the war gave when,
Wsa In 9s hi ina ybs 70 ae
Forward, the whole line"
There is also something in such scene to
deeply impress one, because II rehearses
death scene. Now. you know, there Is some
thing very touching in such an incident.
Though. you are in hotel and 1t Is stranger
that Is dying, how softly you move about the
with uncovered head: Even the voice of the
jester is stopped and when the eyes of that
stranger are closed 1t iswth emotion. But
lam TO tell you this morning of death snch
as has never before or since occurred. When
we die. we die for ourselves and the
crisis is alleviated by all Observation-Disclosures.
Bathings for the hands; bathings for the head;
bathings for the feet; the light turned down
low or set in just the right place. all tho Offices
OF affection about US when we come to die.
But not SO with jesus. He died not for Him
self but He died in torment and He died for
others. He might have moved around in gar.
dens made by His own hand, an earthly po.
ten,ate amid vineyards and olive groves slop-
Ing to the sea. Instead Of being tossed In the
chosen sunshiny day and pleasant wave
for the lake CROSSING, Instead Of being
followed by an unwashed rabble He might
have charmed sanhedrims and universities
with His eloquencc. Instead ot cross and
bunch of twisted brambles on His brow He
might have died in the castle Of a Roman mer.
Cense. But no; He died In torture; the good
for the bad; the kind for the cruel; the wise for
the ignorant: the divine for the human. oh how
at hs
ing Of his own life! How we ought to feel
toward Christ. the captain of salvation on the
white horse riding down our foes; but in the
lances of death struck Him
There was very touching scene among an
Indian tribi in the last century 1t seemed
came up and said: I'VE will exterminate you
unless you surrender the man who committed
that crime" The ohieitain who did the crime
stepped out from the ranks and said: II am
not afraid to die, but l have o wife an four
children, and i have a father aged and a
mother aged whom support by hunting. and
that his old father from behind stepped out
and said; "He shall not die. take his place.
am old and well stricken In years. can do
almost over lie cannot be spared, Take me-"
And they accepted the sacrifice. Wonderful
sacrifice, you say, but not SO wonderful as that
found IN the Gospel for we deserved to die, aye,
with years but In the flush of His youth, said:
Save that man from going down to the pitt
am the ransom. Put his burdens on my shoul'
ders. Let his stripes fall on my back, Take
my he art for his heart, Let me die that he
may live" Shall 1t be told to-day In heaven
that notwithstanding all those wounds. and
all that blood. and all those tears, and all that
agony you would not accept him?
"Was it for crimes that had done,
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity, grace, unknown,
And love beyond degree"
that scene that impresses me more than that
of His own mother, YOu need not point her
out to me-. can see by the sorrow, the an
gnish, the woe, by the uPlhrown hands. That
didn't She 80 down to the foot Of the hill and and
sit with her back 70 me scene? y was too
know when child Is in anguish or trouble
II always makes heroine of a mother?
Take her away you say, from the cross.
You cannot drag her away. She will keep
She will stand there looking. Oh, what a
scene 1t was for tender hearted mother TO
look upon How gladly she would have
sprung 10 HIS Iellei. III was Her sou. iler son
How gladly she would have clambered up on
The cross and hung there herself If her son
could have been relieved, How strengthen
have come close by Him and soothed Him
what the little sick child said
upon whom surgical operation of u painful
"Th0t child won't live through this oparat ion
unless you encourage him, You go in and get
his consent" The father told him all the
doctor said and added. "NOw, John. will yon
go through with IL? WIN you consent to it2'
He looked very PALE and he thought minute